Where to Stay - Boston 2009 - page 89

and women have separate facilities), a large common room, and meeting and workshop
space. It provides linens, or you can bring your own; sleeping bags are not permitted.
The enthusiastic staff organizes free and inexpensive cultural, educational, and recre-
ational programs on the premises and throughout the Boston area. Hostelling Interna-
tional also operates a summer-only hostel just outside Kenmore Square (p. 93).
12 Hemenway St., Boston, MA 02115. & 888/999-4678 or 617/536-9455. Fax [phone]. www.bostonhostel.
org. 205 beds. Members of Hostelling International-American Youth Hostels $28-$45 per bed; nonmembers $31-$48
per bed. Members $70-$100 per private unit; nonmembers $73-$106 per private unit. Children 3-12 half-price; chil-
dren under 3 free. Rates include continental breakfast. MC, V. T: Green Line B, C, or D to Hynes Convention Center.
Amenities: Access to nearby health club ($6); shuttle; coin-op laundry; wireless Internet access. 1st-floor units and
bathrooms are wheelchair accessible; wheelchair lift at building entrance. In room: A/C, lockers, no phone.

10 Outskirts & Brookline
What Bostonians consider “outskirts” would be centrally located in many larger cities.
Brookline starts about 3 blocks beyond Boston's Kenmore Square. Staying in this area
means essentially becoming a commuter to downtown Boston (unless you're in town
only to visit Fenway Park or the Longwood Medical Area). It's not a great choice if
your destination is Cambridge because of the unwieldy public transit connections.
VERY EXPENSIVE
Hotel Commonwealth This five-story boutique hotel in the heart of Kenmore
Square boasts extensive business features as well as luxurious amenities such as Frette
linens and large marble bathrooms. My favorite guest rooms are the huge Common-
wealth units; each has a king bed and a heavy curtain that draws across the center of
the room, separating the sleeping area and the “parlor.” These rooms overlook the
bustling street, outdoor restaurant seating, and the upgraded square's new bus station.
You might prefer a Fenway room—they're smaller, but they face the legendary ballpark
(directly across the Mass. Pike). Formerly quite scruffy, Kenmore Square has undergone
a face-lift—helped immeasurably by the 2003 opening of this hotel. It draws a lot of
business from nearby Boston University and from local cultural institutions.
500 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215. & 866/784-4000 or 617/933-5000. Fax [phone]. www.hotel
commonwealth.com. 150 units. $235-$415 standard double; $265-$485 minisuite or parlor room. Extra person $20.
Children under 18 stay free in parent's room. Packages and AAA discount available. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet park-
ing $36. T: Green Line B, C, or D to Kenmore. Pets accepted; $25 deposit. Amenities: 2 restaurants (seafood, bistro);
lounge; exercise room; concierge; business center; room service; laundry service; same-day dry cleaning; rooms for
those w/limited mobility. In room:A/C, TV/DVD w/pay movies, wireless Internet access, minibar, hair dryer, iron, safe,
umbrella, robes.
EXPENSIVE
Doubletree Guest Suites This hotel is one of the best deals in
town—every unit is a two-room suite with a living room, bedroom, and bathroom.
Business travelers can entertain and families can spread out, making this a good choice
for both. It's near Cambridge and across the street from the path that follows the
Charles River, but not in an actual neighborhood. Shuttle service to local destinations
makes the isolation easier to handle. The suites, which were renovated in 2007, sur-
round a 15-story atrium. Rooms are large and attractively furnished, and most bed-
rooms have a king-size bed (some have two oversize twins) and a writing desk. Each
living room contains a full-size sofa bed, a dining table, and a good-size refrigerator.
The Hyatt Regency Cambridge, the hotel's nearest rival, is slightly more convenient
than the Doubletree but generally more expensive.

Kids Value